Metal can



(No Model.)

7 2 Sheets-Sh eet 1.

F. P. McGOLL.

METAL CAN.

No. 570,494.- Patented Nov. 3,1896. 7

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

P. P. MoOOLL.

METAL GAN.

No. 570,494. Patented Nov. 3, 1896.

material,which are intended to contain meats, fish, vegetables, paints, orother substances,

To all whom/it may concern:

sects.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS P. MCOOLL, QF BROOKLYN, NEWV YORK, ASSIGN OR TO THE FRANCO- AMERICAN PATENT CAN OPENING COMPANY,

OF NEW JERSEY.

METAL CAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.2 570,494, dated N oven ber 3, 1896.

Application filed ootobel' 18, 18951 Be it known that I, FRANCIS P. MoOoLL, of the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Metal Cans, &c.,

of which the following is a specification, ref-= erence being had to the accompanying dl'fhW'. .ings, forming a part hereof.

This'invention relates to cansor other receptacles, formed of sheet metal or other like and usually require to be sealed hermetically, and it is particularly concerned with the method of or means'for opening such cans or receptacles. Such cans or their covers have heretofore been constructed in cut ways with a view to facilitating the opening thereof, and many different devices have been applied to cans for the same purpose. A usual method of opening such cans or receptacles is by tearing the cover along predetermined lines. This is an easy and effectual method,but is not desirable for some purposes on account of the incision made in the cover to receive the end of the starting-tongue, which incision, although soldered or cementcd, is a frequent cause of leakage. In no case, moreover, has it been directly sought, so far as I am aware, to preserve the cover or removed portion of the can or receptacle in such shape that it could be applied again to the can or receptacle-or body thereof, so that the unused portion of the contents could be protected for the time being from exposure to the air, insects, dust,'or other extraneous matter. On the contrary',"the cover or removed portion of the can has been cut or torn or twisted or otherwise let-tin such shape as to be incapable thereafter of application to the can to effectively shut out air, dust, or in- Realizing the defects which are here alluded to, I have sought to provide not only for the easy opening of cans of the class referred to without necessitating an incision in any portion of the cover in contact withthc contents of the can, but for the preservation of the cover or removed portion of the can in such shape that it may be applied again to the opened can and clearly seen.

many ditfer-' wardly-turned flange the cover and of the body being broken out to Fig. 6

construction. Fig. '12

. com prising a body and a Serial No. 566,049. -(No model.) f'

protect its contents, as well as for the preservation of the can-body withoutmut-ilation."

Theinvention is capable of application to cans or receptacles of great variety as to form and construction; but in the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, I have chosen for illustration of the invention certain common forms.

In thedrawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspectivejof an ordinary round can to which 60 cover beingrepmy invention is applied, the resented as detached from the body of the can, so thatcertain features of construction may be Fig. 2 is a similar view, but with the two parts of the can-that is to say, the body'and the cover-assembled and an open ing-key applied to the starting-tongue. Fig. 3 is aview similar to Fig. 2, but representing the can as partly opened. Fig. 4 is a detail View of a portion of a can-body such as is represented in Fig. 1 but showing a slight modification. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a generally rectangular can or box in which the cover issoldered or cemented upon an inof the body, portions of show the construction more clearly. is a similar view of a can or box of like shape, but with the cover differently applied to the body. Figs. 7 and S are detail views illus-- trati'ng the formation of the starting-tongue with the cover-blank. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a can of like shape tothat shown in Fig. 5, but having a cover with a downwardlyturned overlapping flange. Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 7, but ference in construction. Fig. 11 is a detail View of a portion of the can-bodyshown in Figs. 9 and'lO and illustrating a feature of feature of construction. It will be understood that the invention finds expression in all of the different forms represented in theseveralfigures of the drawlugs, and it will be observed that all of these 9 5' forms have certain common characteristics, such as that the can is made up of two parts, cover or removable illustrates a further 0 portion, that the two parts of the can overlap, and that a starting-tongue projects from between the two overlapping portions.

Having thus indicated the general features of the cans shown, in order that the following description may be the more readily understood, I will now proceed to describe in detail the particular construction of each of the different'forms represented.

Referring first to the can shown in Figs. 1 to 4, it will be observed that it comprises a body A, formed in any suitable way, and a slipcover B, having a depending flange b, which may be slipped upon (or, it may be, within) the bodyA. The flange b, or overlapping portion of the cover, is soldered or cemented to the corresponding portion of the body A, and in the particular form here represented is scored or otherwise weakened along a predetermined line, as indicated by the dotted line I), which line indicates the extent of the overlap and corresponds or coincides with the edge of the can-body A. As the overlapping portionsof' the body and cover are soldered or cemented together only between the edge b of the outerportion and the line b, it will be observed that the lines I) and b may both be termed predetermined lines of weakness, along which, as will presently appear, the separation between the two parts of the box takes place. line b an openingtongue G projects from between the two overlapping portions of body and cover. This tongue may be disposed differently, according to the particular form of the can or the use to which it is to be put, but as represented in the form now under consideration it projects outwardly through an incision b formed in the cover B, but extending through or nearly through the overlapping portion only of such cover, so that there shall be no incision through any portion of the cover which is in contact with the contents of the box. Moreover, as this incision is formed only in that portion of the cover which is soldered or cemented to the body it does not constitute a weak place in the sealed box. The tongue 0 should be secured by solder or any other suitable means to the inner side of the outer of the two overlapping portions or between said overlapping portions, that is to say, in the constructionrepresented, to the inner surface of the overlapping portion of the cover B, or between the two overlapping portions, and it projects outwardly through the incision b. For convenience in manufacture the tongue may be attached to the body of the box and be secured to the inner side of the overlapping portion of the cover in one operation when the latter is soldered upon the body.

As indicated in Fig. 1, the tongue is formed in a separate piece and is lightly soldered to the body of the box, its inner end being cut ofi obliquely and matched with a correspondingly-formed portion of the outer overlapping edge of the box-body, the purpose of is being opened.

essential that there should be any At any convenient point along the this construction being simply to avoid an undue thickness. The tongue 0 is preferably, however, formed in one piece integral with the box-body, as indicated in Fig. 4, and weakened along a line a, so that it may separate readily from the box-body when the box It is not, however, deemed line of weakness between the box -body and the tongue, inasmuch as without-it the tongue is readily separable from the body and would generally tear off from the body without mutilating the latter to any material extent. If the tongue is integral with'the body orcover or otherwise, it is preferably located at such a point that it shall have a backing to be left to maintain the integrity of the box below its upper edge when the tongue is torn off, the

usual lap-seam being well adapted for such purpose.

In opening the box, which has been described, the tongue 0 is grasped by the fingers or by any suitable tool, but preferably by akey, such as is shown at l), and is pulled backward upon itself," or, is rolled backward upon itself in the manner represented in Fig. 3. As the edges of the tongue correspond with or form continuations of the predetermined lines of weakness of the overlapping cover, and as the tongue is socured to the inner surface of the portion between these lines, it will, as it is pulled back or rolled back, bring with it the said overlapping portion of the cover, tearing it 01f from the body along the ofweakness b and 11 As these two lines are parallel in the construction shown, and as the line b coincides with the edge of the box-body, the cover will thus be released by the tearing 0d of a strip of uniform width, which leaves the cover in-condition to be applied again to the box-bod y. I=T.he body itself, being unweakened and capable of resisting the tendency to tear as the strip is pulled off, will be left unmutilated below its upper edge and will therefore retain its contents without leakage.

It will be evident that if the flange of the cover were inserted within the edge of the box-body, so that the latter forms the outer of the two overlapping portions, the line of weakness I) would be formed in the box-body and would coincide with the edge of the cover, the tongue in every case being adapted to start up and tear off a strip of uniform width from the outer of the two overlapping portions, whether it be the box or the cover. It is also obvious that the tongue may be arranged to project between the overlapping ends of the cover or body blank and a separate incision be thereby dispensed with.

I find that a key or other tool may be wholly dispensed with if the tongue be so formed as to afford a firm grasp for the fingers and to avoid the danger of cutting the fingers. Ac cordingly I prefer to provide the tongue (.3 with a finger-piece C, as shown in Fig. 12, the

if the key be used,

predetermined lines.

edge of the finger-piece beingcrinkled, as

shown at which not only permits it to be firmly grasped by the fingers, but also obviates altogether any straight edge which mightflange a, upon which'the flat cover B is secured directly. The one predeterminedline of weakness b, which is formed by scoring or otherwise, coincides with the inner edge of the stantially the flange a, while the other predetermined line of weakness 12 or the edge of the cover,is flush with the, sides of the box. The tongue Cprojects as before throughan incision b which is formed wholly in that portion of the cover soldered to the box-body. Theopening of the can is performed in the same manner as that already described. It will be evident that in this case the r'emainingportion of the cover' after the box has beenopened will be of subsame size as the openingin the box, and may therefore not be available to cover again the contents of the box. Nevertheless this form of box is desirable, because an incision through that'portion of the cover which comes in contact with the contentsof the box is avoide g V The body A of the can shown in Fig. 6 has an inwardlyrprojecting head a, upon which the cover B may rest. When the cover has been put in place,-a flange or is turned down upon the cover and is soldered or cemented thereto, the outer of thetwo tions being in this case a part of the box-body. The inner edge a -of the flange a is in'fthis case one of the two predetermined lines of weakness and the outer edge a of the flange is the other, this'edge substantially coinciding with the edge of the cover B. The tongue 0 is applied as before, projecting from between the overlapping portions and in this. particular case projecting through an incision (t form ed wholly within the outer overlapping portion and between the lines a edges'of the tongue, as before, forming continuations of these lines and the tongue being secured to the under surfaceof the outer overlapping portion. In opening this box the overlapping portion of the body is torn off,

leaving the cover intact and adapted to rest upon the bead a and thereby protect the contents of the box. I v

In Fig. 6 the tongue is represented as independent of the box cover and body. As' a matter of economy in manufacture, however, it is preferable to form the tongue in the manner indicated in Figs. 7 and 8, the tongue being formed integral with the body or cover blank, as shown in. Fig. v7. The projecting piece from which the tongue is formed, is bent over on the dotted line of Fig. 7 until it assumes the position shown in Fig. 8, and the tongue portion is raised that it may be passed through the incision in the overlaping portion. \Vh'en the box is opened, the

United States granted to te'mber 25, 1894, and numbered 526,435. In

this construction it is not even necessary that the predetermined lines overlappingporand a, the

- sirable incision portion b will tear oif from the body or cover along the line of the fold. I

In Fig. 9 I have shown a form of box similar to the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6, but with a slip-coverB, havinga depending flange b, substantially as in Fig. 1, and the adaptation of the invention to this particular form iscalculated to avoid any incision through the cover of thebox. The cover is provided by scoring or otherwise with two predetermined lines of weakness 6 and 11 which are brought out to the edgeof the cover.

overlapping portions of the cover and body,

The tongue Oprojects directly from between the with its edges in line with the predetermined lines'of weakness secured to the inner surface of the overlapping portion of the cover and being adapted to separate readily from the body A. ke or other suitable tool being applied to the tongue 0, the latter, being rolled'back upon be torn upon the predetermined lines of 'weaknesaand by continued rotation of the key may be wholly reitself, the box-cover will moved from the box-body, substantially as in the manner set forth in Letters Patent of the .F. O. Busch Sepof weakness should be extended to the very edge ofthecover nor that the? bead be flattened to form a path for the starting up of the strip to be torn out,.as indicated in Fig. 9;" but, as represented in Figs. 10, the lines I) and 6 inside of'the head of the box need not be flattened or weakened,'for the tongue O will tear through the edge of the cover until the lines of rupture, corresponding with the edges of lines of weakness bf andb The tongue 0 may be formed independently of the box body or cover or it may be formed with the boxbody, as indicated in Fig. 11, in which case.

the tongue will tear ofi from the box-bodyin line with its edge.

From the foregoing descriptionit will be obvious that the principle of the invention, whetherits object be only to avoid annndethrough the box-cover or to preserve the cover in such shape as to'permit its use after removal or to prevent the mutilation of the can or box body, may be embodied in a great variety of forms; Ac-

cordingly I desireit to be understood that I do not intend that. my invention shall be limited to the forms and arrangements shown herein.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A can or receptacle having overlapping portions and a tongue or projection secured to the inner surface of the outer of said overlapping portions but readily separable from the other and passing from between the two portions, the can or receptacle having a backing may terminate and the latter ,7

the tongue, meet the,

b and b the tongue being rod for said tongue or projection from which it weakness,

may'be torn without mutilating'the can or receptacle, substantially as set forth.

2. A can or receptacle having overlapping portions secured together by'cement or solder, the one of said parts which overlaps the other having predetermined lines of weakness and the other part being unweakened and capableof resisting the tendency to tear, in combi'nat-ion with a tongue projecting from between the overlapping portions and secured to the inner surface of the outer of said overlapping portions but readily separable from the inner portion and having its edges corresponding with said predetermined lines of substantially as set forth.

3. A can or receptacle having overlapping portions secured together by cement or solder, the one of said parts which overlaps the-other having a predetermined line of weakness, substantially parallel with its edge and substantially coinciding with the edge of the inner portion'ahd the other of said parts being unweaken'ed and capable of resisting the tendency to tear, in combination with a tongue projecting from between the overlapping portions and securedto the inner surface of-the outer of said overlapping portions but readily separable from the inner portion and having its edges corresponding respectively with the edge of the overlapping portion and with the predetermined line of weakness in said portion, substantially as set forth.

4. A can or receptacle having overlapping portions secured together by cement or solder, the one of said parts which'overlaps the other having a predetermined line of weakness, substantially parallel with its edge and substantially coincidingwith the edge of the inmi portion and having an incision formed wholly between said predetermined line of weakness and the edge of the overlapping portion, the other portion being unweakenedand capable of resisting the tendency to tear, in combination with a tongue projecting from between the overlapping portions through said incision and secured to the inner surface of saidoverlapping portion but readily separable from the inner portion and having its edges corresponding respectively with said line of weakness and-with the edge of the overlapping portion, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 0th day of October, A. D. 1895.

ALFREDJV. KIDDLE, CHAS. EPWORTH. 

